mothballs

5 definitions • 6 examples

a small, white ball containing a chemical with a strong smell that keeps moths away from clothes:

I've inherited a vintage fur coat, but it smells like mothballs.

The camphor in mothballs damages natural skins.

not being used at the moment, but ready for use if necessary:

The government is keeping the retired ships in mothballs for emergencies.

Most of the factories are in mothballs and constant blackouts interrupt what little business there is.

to stop work on an idea, plan, or job, but leaving it in such a way that you can start on it again at some point in the future:

Six coal mines were mothballed in the hope that they could be reopened in a time of better economic conditions.

a small ball containing chemicals with a strong smell, used esp. to protect wool clothing from moths

to stop using a factory, building, etc., but leave it in a condition that allows you to use it again in the future:

The factory was mothballed two years ago.